Category: super bowl party

With the 2017 Super Bowl upon us, here is a great finger food recipe that will wow the party. I grew up with lox and cream cheese brunches. While I never could get into eating smoked salmon, this carrot version is arguable better tasting and certainly more healthy. Enjoy!

Part of me wishes I had tried poutine before taking the vegan plunge 4 years ago. Then again, the amalgamation of deep fried potatoes, brown gravy and cheese curds probably wouldn’t have sat well with me. I didn’t even know what poutine was until my little brother made several trips north of the border and came back raving about it. Since I had been thinking about veganizing the Canadian specialty for a while, a vegan Super Bowl party in Akron seemed like a perfect time.

What makes this poutine different from all other poutine? Well aside from the fact it’s vegan, made with Field Roast Chao cheese and Vegan Sausage Gravy (see recipe below), it is also a special type of French fry known only to Akronites and Summit County Ohio dwellers as Jo Jo potatoes. Ok, the potato wedge isn’t exactly unique to Akron, Ohio, but I can almost guarantee you that Jo Jo Potatoes have never made their way into vegan poutine before this. And now it’s time to share with the world.

The recipe is not hard to put together. To mimic the deep fried, egg covered Jo Jo’s found in pizza and chicken shops in my hometown, I parboiled potato wedges and coated them in cornstarch, spices and a little olive oil before roasting them. The result is a crispy outside and a moist steamy inside. The poutine is assembled in separate bowls topped with the savory sausage gravy and a sprinkle of fresh sage. You can serve as an app, side or main dish. Enjoy!

Directions

Jo Jo’s: Adjust an oven rack to the lowest position and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Scrub the potatoes and cut them, lengthwise, into 10 to 12 even wedges.Place the sliced potatoes into a large bowl and cover them with boiling water. Let them soak for 10 minutes (aka parboil).Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat. Drain the potatoes and pat them dry thoroughly with a clean tea towel or paper towels. Evenly toss the potatoes with the cornstarch, than add the oil, salt and pepper.Arrange the fries in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and flip them. Continue to bake until the fries are golden and crisp, about another 20 minutes longer. In the last 5 minutes, remove the pans and add the cheese on top. Allow to melt before removing. Time serving so these are hot!Sausage Gravy: Heat a skillet over a medium flame. Add the onions and cook for three minutes, until starting to soften. Add the crumbled sausage and cook for five minutes, until starting to brown. Add the flour and stir well. After two minutes, add the remaining ingredients, whisking well to combine. It will thicken and be ready rather quickly. To serve: Place fries in a bowl or on a plate and sprinkle with cheese. While still warm, pour gravy over fries and cheese. Top with fresh sage and enjoy!

The Super Bowl is just around the corner and its time to start thinking about what to bring to the party. For one, you don’t want to stand out like a sore thumb. I brought cayenne kale chips to a party last year and was on the receiving end of furrowed brows. Needless to say the chips were good, people couldn’t quite make the leap to kale chips with all the meat and cheese on the table.

On the other hand, you do want to make something that will stand out for its unique taste and memorable ingredients. The Super Bowl embodies American flare and exuberance. Everything is over the top, and everyone participates in some way. Go beyond setting out a crudite tray with hummus and chips and salsa.

Finally, the Super Bowl, like a tailgate, is about sharing. Be mindful of how much you make, even though you may be the only one eating it, because people want to try new things. Im sure if you follow these recipes, everyone will remember your dish over Beyonce’s halftime show. Maybe you’ll start someone down the path to healthy, plant based eating. Enjoy! (check Twitter @holdthepigskin the night of the game for my pictures)

Grind the cashews in your spice grinder until powdered, about 30 seconds.

Image from godairyfree.com

Place the tomatoes with juice in your blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Add the ground cashews, nutritional yeast, mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, and salt, and blend until smooth.

Lightly oil the insert of the slow cooker or spray it with cooking spray, and transfer the queso mixture to the cooker.

Stir in the water until well incorporated (use less for a thicker dip, you can add more later if it thickens too much).

Cover and cook on Low, stirring occasionally, for 2 hours, or until the mixture is thick and hot. If the mixture isn’t thick after 2 hours, turn the setting to High, remove the lid, and cook for 20 to 30 minutes longer.

When ready to serve, spoon about 1/3 cup of the queso into a small bowl, stir in the lemon juice, then stir the mixture back into the slow cooker.

In a small saucepan, boil about three cups of water. Cut the tempeh into four equal blocks, then cut those blocks into triangles, and carefully slice the triangles in half lengthwise. Put the tempeh in the boiling water and cover, for about fifteen mintes or until tempeh is softened. Pour the pan into a colander and rise with cold water. Allow the tempeh to cool enough that you can handle it.

While the tempeh is cooling, make the sauce. In a large pot, melt margarine and briefly sautree the habeneros. Add the siriacha and set aside.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Make your assembly line for the wings. Put your soymilk in the first bowl, your flour and spices in the second, and your panko in the third. At the end of the line, have a greased baking sheet waiting.

Take a triangle, and dip it in the milk, then coat in flour. Then another quick dip in the milk before thoroughly coating it in the bread crumbs and placing it on the baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the tempeh.

Spray the tops of the wings with cooking spray, and bake in the oven for ten minutes. Remove, flip over, and bake for ten more. Just before you take the wings out of the oven, heat the sauce over a medium heat until just warm – there’s no need to boil it, we’re just trying to make sure the sauce isn’t cold.

When you take the wings out, immediately transfer them to the pot and coat in the sauce. Serve immediately.

1/2 cup cashews, preferably soaked in water for 1 to 2 hours (no need if you have a vitamix)

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons agave nectar

1/3 cup cacao or dark chocolate powder

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1 teaspoon ground vanilla powder (liquid is ok)

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch cayenne pepper

1 large bunch of curly kale, washed, stemmed and torn into palm-size pieces (make sure they are dry)

1/4 cup extra-fine shredded coconut flakes

1 teaspoon hemp seeds

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Add the coconut palm sugar, cashews, agave nectar, cacao powder, coconut oil, vanilla powder, cinnamon and cayenne pepper to a high-speed blender. Blend until the mixture is smooth. In a large mixing bowl, pour the chocolate sauce mixture over the kale leaves. Using your hands, massage the chocolate mixture into the kale leaves until each one is evenly coated. Fold in the coconut flakes and hemp seeds.

Transfer the coated kale to the cookie sheets and bake about 20 minutes. Remove the cookie sheet, flip the kale leaves and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes. Watch them very closely, as they may burn quickly if left in the oven a few moments too long. Remove the kale chips from the oven when crispy. Allow to cool a bit, then serve.